Dying Never, Titans Forever
by Swallowing.RaInDrOpS
Summary: We'll survive. No matter what. We have to survive, we've been chosen to live and we'll take that choice as if it were a last breath. Because in our world, one breath might be all we have left.
1. Welcome

I'm in the mood for making a horror/action/drama/ slight romance story and Rob/Star are perfect for it. I love making stories for these two, they fit my thoughts perfectly for most stories that I just imagine and have had no intention of writing 'til I think of it.

Oh and also, this story, unlike my others, doesn't include the gang being the Teen Titans at first. Oh don't worry, they'll be the Teen Titans, it'll just be a whole different turn of events before they're named so. Beastboy or in my story _Gar_ still has green skin, he just can't change into animals. Cy's human except he has a robotic leg, Star can't use eyebeams ((she can use all her other powers though.)) and Rae, surprisingly, can still use all her powers-she dosen't have a demon for a father.

Disclaimer: Don't own Teen Titans, like authoresses everywhere, I state that it'd still be on if I did.

* * *

**1:00 am**

The air in the living room was stale with the smog coming from his cigarette; he only smokes after we've had a particularly nasty brawl with Infect-freaks causing him to lose one of his guns so I wouldn't call it an addiction, more like…well okay if he keeps it up he'll get an addiction whether he wants want or not with the way he loses guns, luckily my big brother can't get any smoke related disease thanks to me.

I can hear good ol' Richy-Rich ((he'd hate it if he knew I still called him that)( back there with Gar reloading and polishing the AK-47 also known as Vic's 'baby'. I sighed and took everyone's clothes out of the strangers washing machine since we were forced into it after our last fight, good thing its electricity was still intact.

Jumped slightly, but giggling none the less, when Dick embraced my waist from behind while I was busy loading the wet shirts into the dryer. Quite a bitter-sweet moment considering that even though I loved his lips moving against my neck, which he called during 'sappy after love-making talk' was more elegant than a swan's; I hated wearing my hair in such tight ass buns such as this one.

"Hey you two," Vic's evident smirk rang clear through his voice, "cut it for a while, we got company."

Gar cut the power, allowing my eyes to glow bright with its eerie lime green nature as I took the shirts out of their drying.

"They're still quite wet." I chided while the boys hastily slipped them on, taking a little more precision when I buttoned up the blouse over my rib cage and let my neckline and abdomen breathe.

"They'll have to do." Dick crossed his ammo over his left shoulder and I nodded, filling up my pack with fresh makeshift bombs. The high-pitch shrieks of the infected rose into the air, Vic nodded in return to us before he and Gar scrammed up the stairs, climbed out the second story window, and made their way to the top of the houses' roof.

Two blasts simultaneously rang out, they each had thrown a bomb to dwindle the oncoming onslaught. This was gonna be a long day.

Dick swiped a clean kiss from my mouth before kicking the wooden door open. About twelve of them were in front of the house; the others took to climbing to get to our friends.

I can feel myself smirk when one of them was bold enough to come out of their daze and scream at me, a female infect-freak no doubt, and lunge her body at me; red work suit tattered and fluttering in the wind as she jumped.

I sank to one knee and waited for her breath to reach me, for her shadow to have the audacity to overlap my own before letting the hiss of a bullet fire away into her arm, flinging her back.

The rest flew to us, and I aimed again for a female.

"Welcome home, bitch."

* * *

Tada^^

I have to admit I have alot of high hopes for this story. Oh and btw, if you've ever played _Left 4 Dead_ or _Left 4 Dead 2_, two of my favorite games, you'll be able to know where I imagined the infected characters from.

This'll be quite the experiance for me, and a fun one for that.

Kera: I've been in this girls' head, its gonna turn out as quite the best-seller. Oh, an anyone wonder what happened to Raven?^^

Hehe.

Review &... Review again.

**Next Chapter: **_The Day we Came_


	2. The Day we Came

_This chapter will include what happens on the day of the infection spread._

_Ask and you shall recieve. I actually didn't plan on making this a full-fledged story for some reason. It was just a story that was garbled up in my mind and wouldn't stop attacking me 'til I wrote it down. Now, i'm kinda glad I did._

**S.d's Tamaranian Dictionary**

**1) Kortain'l =**_Like Husaband; English term would be 'My Keeper'. Used to express the connection between two Tamaranian lovers who are tied only to one another for life. Holds a great deal of emotion for Tamaran. Used for men._

**2) Kartain'r = **_Like Wife; English term would be 'Keeper of Me'. Expressing the more sexual realation between two. This is also a one person title and very sacred among Tamaranian women, especially those of nobility. Used for women._

_**XXXxxxxXXXXxxxx**_

Now, in this chapter there will be something called the _Kort_'_Kar Laws_ if i'm not mistaken and what that means is-to put it simply-that Star belongs to no one else but Dick and vice versa. It also means that there bond is a very strong..._substance_ if you will.

~Enjoy

* * *

If there was one thing 'Kori Anders' loved more than her three years on Earth, it was lounging around on her nice, round bed on a perfect spring day.

Courtesy of her loving, rich boyfriend Dick Grayson; now don't get her wrong, Kori was certainly not in it for the money as many fan girls in Gotham City liked to believe—especially considering she had her own fortune on Tamaran, her home planet, being second in line for a throne certainly had its perks even though she'd already succeeded it to her…'uncle' Galfore.

Dick Grayson was a surprise to her, being an earthling for one, and she found herself being courted by said being. Kori could still remember the day they'd met, when her mother and sister had taken a trip to Earth scouting potential living conditions. She was seven and he worked at the circus as a family act called '_The Flying Grayson's_'.

His performance astounded her to no end and she marveled at the heights such human agility could attain.

* * *

"_Then why do you not go over and introduce yourself?" Tatiand'r whispered to her young daughter as she stood hidden behind her backside._

_Her Tamaranian language came out rushed and garbled._

"_Because sister has not come back with the native language; I would think it foolish to just approach."_

_Tatiand'r slid on one knee to her daughters' front and placed a kiss upon her. Koriand'r blinked as the new language tingled around her mouth. She could now incorporate it as the same way the rock candies of this world popped unto her teeth and gums._

"_Now go introduce yourself." The older women smiled. Kori nodded happily, nothing now standing in her way to obtain her goal._

_The boy was turned to his parents whilst being praised for their magnificence when Kori tapped him on the shoulder._

"_Ow!" Dick Grayson rubbed at his shoulder and turned around to a girl bowing to him on one knee._

"_A thousand a-a-apologies for disturbing your interactions but if you were to teach me a few of your earthly gym-ma-nastics, I would be most gracious!" she pounded a fist to her chest and gazed into the prettiest shade of blue she'd seen since the Gug'nub plants of the swamp lands on Tamaran. _

_It surprised her very much so when he laughed, his face almost seemed incapable of such a buoyancy feature and it reminded her very much of her three year old brother Ryand'r._

_Dick kneeled on the ground and the children smiled to one another._

"_Hey mom!" He called the ginger haired woman over his shoulder, "I think she wants to learn a few of our gym-ma-nastics moves." _

_

* * *

_

"_Please don't tell!"_

_Her big, innocent eyes watered. Dick chuckled despite the mood, placing a hand on his new friends shoulders to balance her back on the tightrope. _

"_Star," he called her by the nickname," this is Gotham; you're a little late on surprising me with the whole 'flying' thing. Besides, you're sister kind of already told me when she got a tiny bit drunk."_

_Tiny bit drunk please, a voice in the back of Kori's mind whispered, we've been here three earth months and already Sister has discovered the planets 'alcoholic' beverage._

_She sniffled, "So…you will not mouse me outside?" _

_Dick snickered, "No Starry, I won't rat you out."_

* * *

_Richard sniffled, his eight year old form shivering and not just from the cold rain._

"_Dick, sweetie, its time to say goodbye." His mother whispered softly, running a black gloved hand over her son's smothered, ebony locks._

_He nodded and stepped from underneath their umbrella's protection to his best friend while she in turn approached him from under the abandoned airplane hanger. _

_Richard sniffled again, staring into Kori's innocent green orbs, puffed red cheeks against her tangerine skin, sagging ponytail courtesy of the boy wonder Grayson himself, and knew he'd never find any other best friend like Starry._

"_I…I don't want you to go…I don't want you to forget me." He embraced her around the shoulders and pouted. Kori giggled and returned the hug around his waist briefly before pulling away to intertwine her right pinky with his left._

"_Richard," _

_Thank goodness she'd finally taken to calling him his real name, he couldn't bear it if the person he trusted most with his name decided against saying it, "no matter what world we are on…no matter how far apart we become, I'll never forget you."_

_The young boy smiled and they both leaned in to kiss their pinkies and spit to the ground. Secret best friend handshake seemed like the proper way to go._

_In the background, he could hear his father getting thwacked on the shoulder after a "That's ma' boy!" and laughed with his friend before separating._

_Kori walked back under the hanger, shuffled in her steps, then floated back to peck Richard on his cheek. The boy's eyes widened as he pressed a finger to it, a dazed grin spreading over his face when Starry waved shyly and ascended toward the skies as quick as lightning with her mother and sister._

* * *

_Whoa, I never meant to brag,_

_But I got him where I want him now _

_Whoa—_

"Ohayou! Rae Rae-chan!" Kori snickered, quite happy that Dick had given her personalized ring tones for each of their friends so she'd know exactly who to taunt, she could practically hear the stress marks popping onto Rachel's head.

"Why did I call you again?" Her favorite monotone voice rang through the receiver from grinded teeth.

"I'm your adopted sister and you love me." Kori stated.

"No…that's not-"

"Anyway! I hear you will soon no longer be gracing T-Tokyo with your divine presence."

Even though she'd been on Earth for three years, Kori 'still' didn't have a good enough grip on her English to consider herself an Earthling, and something like that irked her to no end, even if Richard complimented her often on her understanding of minuscule things the language had to offer.

"You heard correctly," her friend replied with a tiny bit of hidden joy leaking out, "I swear I heard Garfield's heart increase when I said I'd be back in Gotham by five a.m."

"Friend Rachel, I could always fly you here, I'd be more than happy to-"

"Thanks Kori." Rachel interrupted, "but I don't think the world is ready for the '_aliens do exist'_ speech, besides I don't need Richy on my case again with the whole 'you took away me and Starry time' thing again."

Kori giggled and Rachel sighed in relief. She really liked Kori, she'd never admit to anyone mind you, but she and Kori were closer that most adopted families were. Of course, both being aliens, they had something in common.

She liked seeing Kori happy and smiling, much like the other three people in their little group. Even though sharing a place with Kori sometimes got a bit…annoying—with all the early morning rises, or girly rituals to partake in—she wouldn't have it any other way in the world.

* * *

"_No."_

"_But-"_

"_No."_

"_If you'd just-"_

"_No."_

"_Consider it-"_

"_No."_

"_You haven't even given her a chance! Hell you haven't even glanced at her."_

"_I saw her. I felt her too. She makes my legs hurt, Richy-Rich." _

_Dick glared more at the stupid nickname than at Rachel Roth, somehow she'd become his friend in seventh grade. _

_She came from a secret base that housed aliens from the dimension Azarath; they specialized in all things that had to deal with emotions, magic, and dark arts. She was a princess; she certainly didn't act like it though._

_Surprisingly, she'd befriended and boy-friended his goofy friend Garfield Logan ((seriously with a first name like that you really had no other choice than to be goofy.)) while they currently attended Gotham High as freshmen._

_Even though it was said that freshmen year was suppose to be your worst high school experience, that didn't apply to a guy named Dick Grayson. He was cool, calm, collected, and best of all rich. Plus, that was the year his very best friend had decided she was back on Earth to stay. _

_Which of course poised the question of, what kind of background could they possibly make up for her?_

_Currently trying to be answered as Dick and his sports rival—sort of other best friend—Victor Stone sat with Gar and 'Kori Anders' chatting happily at Rachel's only favorite café'._

"_Yes! It reminds me much of zork'noff, a Tamaranian celebration drink." The girl gushed over a simple cup of green tea._

_Dick's eyes softened from their glare at the sheer joy radiating from her words._

"_Whoa, talk about in too deep." The sly, monotone voice spilled from a cup of coffee, making the fourteen year-old boy's shoulders tense._

"_Come on Rae," he whined, using the nickname, "she can't keep staying with me and Bruce. "_

"_Bruce and I." She corrected absent-mindedly. Dick ignored it._

"_People are already starting to harass her at school when one of us isn't around; she can't even go to the mailbox with getting her picture snapped!"_

_Rachel sighed and stared into Dick's blue eyes. Yep, just plain blue to her, no swirling pools of aqua, and no beautiful tinted ink blots--just blue eyes._

_He shivered, "Your doing that creepy mind sweep thing again, aren't you?"_

_She blinked owlishly before letting out an annoyed sigh. "Fine."_

"_Fine?"_

"_Fine."_

_Dick let out a relieved sigh. "Thanks Rae, you're the-"_

"_Best. I know," the dark girl smirked, readjusting the green hood around her hair, making sure the natural color of her skin was just seen as an optical allusion due to the limited lights. "I'll tell you now that her stay in my new place depends on how long it takes for you to tell her how you feel. And when I say it depends, I mean you have one hour."_

* * *

"_Oh thank you so very much friend Raven! To commemorate our new living conditions I shall recite for you the five thousand verses of the 'Plok-La'! Also known as, in your language, the 'positive thinking' poem in seven thousand verses!"_

_Rachel's eye twitched._

"_That's quite…unnecessary. Also…my name is-"_

"_Rachel Roth. Yes, I am aware!" the orange girl exclaimed brightly._

"_Yea…" she dragged out, "so if you know, what was with the whole 'friend Raven' thing?"_

_Koriand'r nodded excitedly as she lifted her bed frame out of the doorway for their friends to enter with the paint; she'd suggested against using white sheets since they were just going to cover the floor with carpet anyway. _

"_Yes! Friend Garfield and I decided to give everyone the Nick of names."_

"_Uhuh…and mines just happens to be Raven because…?"_

_Kori grasped the girl's delicate hands into her own and smiled calmly. Rachel blushed spite herself; that look on Kori's face was way more sophisticated than she would've given her credit for._

"_I choose the 'Raven' because of the birds' elegance. I have seen most people in this, and other cities, simply associate such a creature with its name only when they hear a loud 'caw' sound; I assumed from your demeanor upon our first meeting that with your dark composer fellow classmates often mistake you as the anti-social and gloomy maniac."_

_Her eye-twitched once again when the alien freshmen seemed to shrug off that last sentence with a smile. Well, she certainly didn't sugar coat things did she?_

…_An attractive trait on her part, Rachel had to admit it and give credit where credit was due. _

"_I also considered it a good name of Nick because those birds deserve much more association than just with graveyards or other gloomy subjects they tend to attract, for they are such beautiful creatures."_

_With that, Kori released Rachel's hands, puckered her lips against her grey cheek, and glided into Dick's awaiting arms, still hovering a ways from the ground. Rachel could practically see the pink radiating from the girl and it surprised her to no end how one child could have so much happiness that it had to seep out of her in such a manor where her powers could sense exact locations of Kori within a twelve mile radius; if not for the brief look into her memory when they had been in contact she would've entertained the thought of Kori never witnessing a day of hardship in her life._

_When, in fact, that girl could've been a poster child for the word 'hard-ship'._

_A green colored hand moved her own towards her right cheek and she rolled her eyes at Gar's happy demeanor when staring at the Tamaranian holding a paint roller dabbed with purple, floating over Vic's shoulder and smiling at his many anecdotes. Rachel found her own rare smile blazing over her lavender lips._

_Okay, so maybe she wasn't that bad. _

* * *

"They spoke of him becoming a 'bubbled-boy'. It was quite enjoyable too see Richard and Cyborg contain their quips of laughter."

Rachel snickered. Gar's parents really blew a lot of things out of proportion. They brought it on themselves when Gar changed into an irreversible green color during sixth grade; the doctors warned them that side affects of that crazy Infections cure would cause the greening of tongue and/or skin and body features.

That whole infection thing had been nothing but a hoax anyway—the warning was given like eight years ago and no one had yet to face any symptoms.

Well save for the article Rachel had read in the paper that previous week about two guys responsible for the infection print going insane ((she blamed it on the media.)) and had to be quarantined. That caused people, mostly the rich, to become extremists and pay to take residence in local hospitals.

But that was just idiots doing idiotic things.

"Well that's what you resort to when you have a _green_ son."

"At least you two have colors that compliment each other now." Kori giggled.

"Shuddup. I'll see you all tomorrow. Have fun on your date."

"I always do."

* * *

"Please, is this mask truly a necessity?"

Kori tugged at the strings of the hospital mask, casting a confused glance towards her Kortain'l. Richard's eyes shown with apology, knowing his Kartain'r didn't like being contained—unless of course he was the source behind it.

"Sorry Star, the people are really freaking out over the whole infection thing. It's getting ridiculous."

"While I wish to agree with you, I fear at the moment we differentiate on the opinion on what is ridiculous." Star fiddled once again with the end her army green shorts, catching hungry and jealous stares from suitors of each gender while they stood in line at a random hotdog stand.

She sighed, fearing the goddess of good weather X'Holq was in the mood to have fun at her expense today by offering such perfect weather to wear shorts and a tank top.

* * *

_Richard gawked at her apparel._

_Was this woman trying to give him a heart attack?_

"_S-Star I don't think you should go out in that…"_

_The Tamaranian cast him a confused glance before floating to her mirror._

_Army green shorts covered her posterior, the flaps of all four pockets buttoned; it matched her tank top and her boots, which covered her private area known on Earth as the 'ankle'. Star turned back to him._

"_It covers all the regions I do not wish to show, as well as the regions you do not wish for me to show." _

_Richard grasped at the collar of his red shirt._

"_Y-yea your right…but…" He sighed and unbuttoned his top, revealing a black T-shirt underneath._

"_Wear this, just incase there are some spots I missed." _

* * *

"Oh." Richard grinded out the words through his teeth,"Yeah. This is just plain stupid."

"You would assume we'd be used to it by now."

He wrapped a possessive arm around Kori's waist, padding her onto his chest.

"Be use to guys constantly ogling my wife? Never." He smirked at the blush that ascended onto Kori's cheeks.

"We are only joined by Kort'Kar Tamaranian laws." Richard could hear that happy tone in her voice when she spoke of things like that. Awhile ago, she would've been frightened at even mentioning those laws, frightened that Rich wouldn't want to be bound to laws by a planet he was never from.

But to him, if this was the scary part of marriage, he'd live the rest of his life in fear. Besides, Kori wasn't scary… she was more like terrifying when she was pissed; which is why he strayed far from the path of a pissed Tamaranian.

Papa didn't raise no fool, after all.

"If that's the only place I can claim you as a wife we should just move to Tamaran." He joked, knowing that Earth was her home now; even though he'd gladly follow her around the world necessary or not.

Kori smiled making it all worthwhile, and Dick passed his fingers through her bangs; leaning in for the perfect cliché kiss when a loud hacking broke the revere. Dick growled, ignoring the giggle emitting from Kori at such an animalistic sound outside of his bedroom walls…shower walls…well the Wayne manor in general, and he turned around to the young business man hacking up a lung.

No…seriously…he was hacking up his lung.

A young woman behind him screamed and pointed to the side of the pavement where a slimy, black steak looking object lay left of the man who had now passed out face first in a pool of his own saliva and blood.

Richard's eyes widened and he quickly buried the scared Tamaranians' face into the crook of his neck, trying to pull her from any awful scene or memories of her past life that might try to resurface.

Still looking, like the rest on the street, at the man he was startled back to his surroundings when the sobbing of a small girl filled into his ears as both of her parents leaked blood from their mouths, into their masks, and letting spots drip down onto the child's pink sundress.

"Children please! Cease with the head bashings!" His Kartain'r's voice fell upon him.

Blinking, Dick turned again to the sound of banging and splitting, seeing five little boys'. Three of them stood in a line not facing the scenes, but the black, brick walls of a law firm behind the stand, banging there heads so hard there skulls were gradually starting to peak out of the blood. One stood in the middle of the street, getting cursed and honked at from on goers to move.

But he just stood there.

And the last one, Richard noticed as he looked down, with blonde hair had blood on his blue-stripped sleeves and shirt.

He narrowed his eyes. Besides the blood, the boy looked fine. He was just scared…someone probably puked blood on him. As Dick reached for his shoulder, a blazing siren from a fire truck called to him. The high beams on even though the yellow hues of the sun still hung high in the sky.

A force shoved his body down behind the boy and pushed a tangerine cloaked skin tone into the stones of the wall.

"Koriand'r!!" Her true name tumbled from the depths of his heart, as if he were native to the language it came from, when he saw the truck crashing into her while she braced for the impact half-on.

Richard's heartbeat only proved to increase feeling more seconds tick by, seconds in which she didn't use to push the truck off of her.

'_S-she's fine…' _

The voice in his head didn't sound to convincing.

'_C-Come on Starry…you can come out now…'_

But Starry wasn't coming out…Starry wasn't ever gonna come out…was she?

The red truck gave an irritated groan before being pilled into the air, casting a shadow over innocent bystanders, and crashing into a sculpture of hot rubber and melting metal.

The glow of fury green eyes dimmed and returned to their former glory before Star brushed the ruble from her body; collapsing to her knees under the strength of her pants and offering a weary smile towards Richard.

Richard, too overjoyed, let out a halfhearted grunt before noticing the crowd of citizens getting out of even their moving cars to form an oddly shaped circle around him and Star.

Dick stood and brushed the back of his pants, raising an eyebrow when the boy did as well.

"Is, uh, everyone okay?"

Stupid question; A man had just died on the street next to his own lung and he was asking if everyone was okay.

Oh crap, did they or did they not just see a seventeen year old—seemingly delicate girl—push a two ton vehicle away after being pasted into a stone wall?

Saying it like that just made Star just seem way stronger for some reason…

"Uh…"

Richard's brows knitted in confusion when the gang of people groaned back at him. Their moans growing louder and more dull with each passing breath; a tug on his pants made Richard look down at the boy, who had just now show his face to him.

Richard stared at the boy horrified as blood just kept pouring from every crevice of the kids' face, and his eyes rolled so far in the back of his head that it _looked _painful.

Every person started to advance; the moans turning into short shrieks and hisses.

"Richard!!"

Kori burst through the crowd that had separated them, wiggling from the stone grip of and old man's bony fingers clutched to her shoulder and grabbed Dick by the wrists before rocketing off into the air. The howls and screeches following them, and a small stomp of feet could be heard from the ground below.

Stomps edged with passion.

Howls filled with anger.

Screeches bellowed with hunger.

* * *

And that is what I call, my second chapter.

Oh and if you noticed...Yes, I realize the first chapter is 'title-less' but I want it that way; 'Prologue' isn't really what it was written to be. I'll find one, i'll find one.

**Next Chapter: **_The Night we Became _

((fer'sur thats what its called.))


	3. The Night We Became

_Don't say it! I know its probably late, but I don't if alot of people are reading this because of not enough reviews *cough cough-hint hint-sledge hammer sledge hammer* But I think I have to warn you of this chapter._

_Warning: Blood-shed, Missing limbs, violent use of household objects._

_Oh! And I would like to thank one _**Somewhere In Time** _author for pointing these things out._

_**1)** If you have a good enough imagination to see a man hacking up a lung then good for you and your sick lil'mind^^_

_Kera: You're the one who thought of it first-_

_REGARDING! The last chapter anyway, and yes it might not be possible but it was nessecary to get the point across that when these people get infected, they get **Infected**._

_**2) **Now, the reason Starfire is unInfected is because-in my stories-Starfire's resilience far surpasses the people on her planet. Thats due to the fact that she was poked and prodded by Gordainians and Citidel for years ((in my stories mind you))._

_I'll make more coments at the end of this chapter, I would add notes in the story but I want my stories to transport you to a place away from credit dept and blah bleh blow, and you can't do that with random AN's popping up._

So I present::**Chapter 3~The Night We Became**

* * *

The quiet back and forth of boots woke him up.

_Don't panic, _The tensed boy thought to himself, _be logical_.

Its repetition was to in sync to be one of those…things, besides he'd know that wafting scent anywhere. Richard stretched in the blue sleeping bag stiffly and rolled to his side, head cupped in his palm, awaiting kartain'r alien princess to notice him.

But still she continued pacing. So he tried a different approach.

'_Starfire.'_

The Earthly rendition of her name called through their minds, causing said girl to still her form before it turned around and her face offered him a smile.

Richard sighed, sitting up and crossing his legs to invite Starfire a seat in his lap. She complied, making herself comfortable and placing their foreheads together. The feeling of their minds becoming connected she relished in; tingling surged through out her body.

'_It is not time for us to change shifts, Richard'kortain'l' _

He could feel the happiness hidden beneath those words from using his name mixed with Tamaranian; it was usually only expressed out loud during love-making so, already many good memories were entitled to it.

'_Its alright. Those two hours were enough to recharge me.'_

'_You are certain you are fully awake; those sound like words spoken in dreams.' _Kori teased.

Richard pouted before opening one eye to glance at the barricaded front door.

'_The fridge wasn't there before.'_

Her body pressed deeper into his and she clasped her hands around his waist.

'_I had no choice; they had returned and the couches and desk alone were becoming unworthy opponents.'_

'_I know you don't like messing with strangers things…but what else could we do, right?'_

Kori nodded her head swiftly in response, breaking their connection when burying her head in the crook of his neck. He smiled watching and pulled her body closer, his skin developing goose bumps from the breaths against it.

The curtains of her red hair pulled over her face, clouding her as she spoke.

"I am…hungry."

The boys chuckled, "Then eat."

She shifted, "I am tired."

Once again, a smile,"Then sleep."

His brows furrowed at the drop of a sudden tingling sliding pass his collarbone.

"I am frightened…"

He blinked and pulled away slowly to cup Starfire's face in his hands, noticing the clear crystals now running down her cheeks.

"I am so…very frightened."

When the words tousled from her lips he wrapped his arms securely around Star's waist and let her tears spill, wishing that this position could somehow rescue her.

Kori was strong, a trained warrior since birth, she told him things about her past that'd make Rachel cry, and it her him somewhere deeper than his soul to know she was so scared of this phenomenon. It was something he couldn't just whisk her away from, because admittedly he was scared to.

"I know Starfire…I know." Before, using the full English rendition of her name would somehow sooth her and he prayed it would work now.

After a few minutes of regaining her composure, Starfire gripped his shoulders and pushed away to face him.

"We must find our friends! Garfield…and Vic-Rachel! She is still on her plane with many other innocent people who know nothing of this epidemic! They could die or become one of those infected persons!"

She was on her way to an asthma attack, when she didn't have asthma, before Richard ceased her quarrels. Bumping her up slightly she removed herself from his lap and Richard made his way to the adjoining kitchen.

"Richard?" Starfire folded her hands to her chest, steadying her heartbeat as her eyes remained on the back of her kortain'l.

Said boy rummaged through the strangers' drawers, pulling out three very intimidating butcher knives and rummaged around again pulling out any smaller knives, rags to shield the points with as he stuck each 'weapon' into available pockets of his baggy pants.

"Richard! That is dangerous! Do you even know how to use such materials for fighting?"

He glanced at her, letting off a boyish grin,"You'd be terribly surprised."

Noticing how uneasy she stood to her feet and walked toward the separating counter, his grin fell into a soft look. She kept her head down, crossing her right hand to the left elbow.

"Perhaps I should go alone," she spoke quietly, knowing now what he planned to do, "As a Tamaranian, it makes sense that I am immune to such sickness as becoming infected-I could retrieve our friends at a quicker pace and bring them all back here for safety-"

Richard slid across the yellow-brown top of the counter and silenced her with a kiss, ending any future the conversation held with a sound look straight into her eyes.

"No. I will never leave you."

She slowly collapsed into his arms as they pulled her into his chest and he sighed as if he held the weight of the world his shoulders in just that moment.

He lingered in her scent comfortably before sliding from the counter and walking into hallway, opening the first closet he saw and finding a broom.

Richard pulled the handle and sweeping part away from it, making it an ordinary brown, wood pole. Walking back, he thrust the tool towards the alien.

She raised her tiny brow, '_Yes, 'tis a very nice broom handle.' _Her eyes joked.

"I want you to burn the edges into some seriously sharp points." He instructed. Starfire grasped the middle of the handle.

"I could simply use my powers."

"No." Richard looked the ground with creased brows, racking at his brain, "I have a feeling those…infected _people_ are somehow attracted to your powers; I noticed when you flew, or used your powers, an abnormal amount of them just flooded into the streets."

Taking in the information, Starfire nodded, using the smallest amount of power possible to generate enough energy to heat her hands, spinning each edge between them and granting Richard's wish of sharp points.

Richard pushed the wardrobe away from the window, pushing the seal open painfully slow and slipped out, thudding on the wet grass, awaiting the sound of his companion's boots falling behind him before continuing. Plastered to the tiles of the white wall they ran to the wooden fence, peaking through the crevices.

* * *

The streets were filled. Filled with mournful groans, instead of lively chatter; filled with the stale air of death instead of the fresh breeze of life they'd lived surrounded by just that morning.

Gripping Starfire's clammy hand, he pushed the fence against the slick grass and stuck to the walls of the complex, clearing out the sound of sad moans with a strategic plan concocting in his brain.

"Alright, Gar's house is closer so will start there-"Richard then bumped into a pair of tan, bony legs. Connected to a pair of worn, dark blue khaki's, connected to a soft tan short-sleeved shirt, the shoulders covered with sullen bleach blonde strands and a blood dried mouth.

"…first." He finished quietly, starring into the bloodshot green eyes that bore unto him. Sudden mucus started spilling out as she opened her mouth and she screamed.

An ear-splitting, horrid scream shocking the boy back into reality and yet the other infected bodies just made on their jolly way, paying no heed to the crazy woman.

Only when Starfire shot a startling green bolt at the woman's middle did the other infecteds took notice with that hungry look and despite it Richards face took on its analytical state, processing why most of them noticed both of them while others noticed whenever Starfire used an ounce of ability.

Starfire grabbed his arm and sped through the rising of screeches, knowing he'd gone into his ever dominant analysis mode—she swore he could be sidekick to the Dark Knight that protected their city with such a thought process—slipping towards a slightly narrow alley way across the street.

Noticing as they turned from the brick wall they'd run to that twelve of the infecteds had gave chase, approaching them almost teasingly slow.

The Tamaranian girl gulped and gripped the makeshift staff tightly in her hand, eyes giving a quick glance to Richard when he nodded stiffly.

'_Can you take out the six in the back?'_

'_Of course, Richard'kortain'l.'_

He smirked in spite of the situation, reaching for the knife residing in his back pocket, keeping an eye on the infecteds that tingled in their spots when Starfire floated her legs into a crouching position on the wall before pushing off and propelling into the air curling her body for a front flip.

Three infecteds snarled, trying to be the first to get to her. She fended them off with the staff before floating to soften the blow to her back and flipping the three of them behind her.

Her eyes glowed with confidence, attracting the tastes of three other infecteds behind a window on the side of the right building two stories up.

Which was worse, the screeches possibly attracting more infecteds or the sound of the overgrown nails scratching over glass doing the trick?

From the ground, Richard kicked an Infected flinging itself towards him, slime catching itself on his collar from the fang, and he stabbed the other two holding him against the wall in the neck. His knife handle caught itself in a crevice of the bricks and he yanked it away, his stomach lurched when he saw the knife implanted itself in an approaching teenage girls' eye

She shrieked and curled into a fetal position on the ground, her neck-length, dirty blonde hair falling around her scratched grey flesh.

Starfire looked to her lover with a for lone look after she snarled at the last approaching infected on her side, making him back off slightly. He jumbled for her and she had no choice but to drive the sharp rod into the portly, Hawaiian shirt wearing man's shirt.

The merciful look on Richard's face as he slay, not bothering to wipe the slime and blood splattering on his face, was a heart-wrenching sight indeed.

She rushed to his aid as he fell to his side, shaking as he kicked away a hairy, detached arm back to the bleeding man who'd thrown it to him; his mouth still twisting and turning while his eyes stared blankly at Richard's shoes.

Starfire balanced him, slinging one arm around her shoulder and placing a hand on his chest mixing the faint stains of blood that covered them together. She sighed and used a minimal amount of strength as possible to lfit them into the air over the wall, catching sight of a scratched up window housing a man and child with hungry looks in their eyes.

* * *

This would be their second night in a stranger's house.

The couple lay down on a pallet of white blankets and towels for pillows on a green rug. Richard fluffed the towel a bit more to make sure the tired woman beside him was comfortable before him to lie down.

They realized as the night quieted down, the infecteds all disappeared. As if they were never there, the night just swept them away and replaced the eeriness with a calm dusk. However, the couple set their bodies for 4 a.m. sharp, because the light blue sky brought about the yawning screams of Infecteds.

Starfire seemed to always bow before entering a strange persons domicile, but he belivied she didn't have to—not because they had all either abandoned their home for the streets or left them ransacked, but for the fact that who wouldn't want Starfire at their house?

Richard pulled her body closer to his own as he turned to his side, listening to her even breaths. Like every other night, he just wanted to hold her, secure her in his world for at least a few moments, to feel like he could just lock her away. But she desperately needed sleep.

Without adequate use of her powers, Starfire was instantly drained, and the small ounce of power she had used today was anything less than adequate. Though she used them to the best of her abilities when the horde that had blocked them off from this three story building was led by an abnormally 8'2 tall woman with long overgrown fingernails and bloodshot eyes; being fooled when they saw her huddled in the corner crying as if she were uninfected and afraid.

Star mumbled in her breath and turned in his grip to rest her head in the crook of his neck, making the boy smile and tug her close.

'_You should be enjoying your rest Richard'kortain'l, I believe you have deserved it.'_ She whispered sleepily into his mind, draping an arm around his waist protectively.

'_I just like watching you sleep.'_

The Tamaranian smirked lazily, knowing that was just Richard speak for him being in 'overprotective husband mode'; she puckered her lips to his when he kissed her.

Silent banter such as this could take them away from the massive infection, the strange sleeping arrangements they now had to face, and whether their friends were alright; whether they were like them or like…_them_.

They had to find Garfield, to know that Victor was alright and found a safe place, and that Rachel was protecting any other innocents were safely on the planes.

Because those kinds of hopes were the only thing they could cling to in the morning, when they could no longer hold each other as tightly, lest they'd surely go mad.

* * *

Chapter 4: **A Thousand Leagues In Search Of... **((I've already started on writing it down in my ideas book, the only reason this chapter took so long was because I was being lazy with typring it up.))

_Hehe! I think its coming along rather nicely._

_If you noticed at the knives scene I might have metioned Richard having a bit of experience with weapons. Not to spoil anything but..._

_Kera: Robin is Richard and vice versa but he hasn't told his friends about it._

_=.=...not to spoil anything though..._

_Anyway! ...Jeez. I remember telling you why Star hasn't been infected **but **you won't find out **why Richard isn't Infected** until muuuuuch later^^. Oh! and since they live in Gotham City in this storym and that's also where Batman a.k.a the Dark Knight resides, I wonder what happened to him and Alfred. Hmmm..._

_Kera: -*reads ahead*-...!!!!...I don't even know that..._

_Its secret!^^and the only way you'll get to know is by those 2 magical words._

**Review&Review**


	4. A Thousand Leagues Search

**Ugh,** this took so long to write! (type, whateva)

Though I must admit I am proud of it. Few warnings, some of the things in italic are song lyrics-and not thoughts, so if you plan on just skipping through the lyrics, make sure you know what to skip through.

Now to answer afew questions.

_Why isn't Robin infected? Why isn't Starfire infected? Why isn't such an such so an so?_

_To answer these and questions like this...you'll just have to keep reading won't you? Yes I know, evil of me, but i'm building up to that and to tell you now would stop you from reading and stop me from suspense writing, and no one wants that._

_Kera: I want that._

_...__What you want doesn't count. Enjoy fellow reader!_

**Chapter 4~ A Thousand Leagues in search of…**

* * *

_3_** days later**

"You think we can take them?" An ebony-haired boy asked, crouched behind a sea of green shrubs.

The young woman behind an identical black bandana around her mouth glanced in his direction.

"Of course not; it is us two against eight." Her voice was surprisingly light. They were confident, but how could you not be when you'd been training for days-waking up at two a.m. just to coordinate and plan ways to work together against hordes of evil living dead things crawling around every corner?

They were perfectly in-sync with a fighting style created just for them, it was a bitter-sweet moment to have to use such beautiful technique on people who just a week ago were happily enjoying their lives in Gotham City.

Richard huffed; "Let's get through this with the least amount of bloodshed possible."

Kori nodded, gripping the staff in her hand, secretly troubled by the reoccurring sounds of weeping in the middle of the night the sounds of a lost boy hoping that his family was somewhere safe.

"Starfire." His voice was stern, "I don't want a repeat of two days ago."

She gulped, "You shall not have one."

* * *

_ **2** Days Ago**... 2** Days Ago_

This wasn't going well.

They'd thought the man was already dead, but apparently not. The burly construction worker leapt onto Richard's back, forcing the breath to flee from his lungs and the dirt to fill his mouth.

"Richard!" Kori screamed for him, catching the living dead that was headed toward her and angrily flinging it into a nearby corner store window.

Just as she was about to move, the shrill scream of a woman rained down on her and Koriand'r's body was forced backwards into the brick wall built beside an alley.

The girl groaned and fell from the dent her body had created, bricks tumbling around her. The woman in a tattered red work suit slowly approached, like a predator to prey.

Another scream fell from her mouth along with a pool of infected green blood as a long knife impaled her chest. Kori blinked wearily as the woman fell, the absence of her body showed her poor, panting Kortain'l sitting precariously on the man's large stomach. One hand gripping the knife he'd used to slit the man's throat, the other quivering slightly in midair.

"Kori.."

She grunted, forcing her body to move; the warrior refused to become a burden at such a crucial moment. The moment where a female infected had decided to lurch herself from an iron construction beam into Richard's frozen form.

Kori started into a full on sprint and just as the infected mouth started to spill out with drool, the Tamaranian princess impaled its flying body with her makeshift staff, swinging the body down before its weight broke her weapon, and the woman's body jerked slowly before giving up. Hesitantly, Kori put her boot covered foot on top of the lady and yanked the staff from her seemingly without remorse.

The slight pain in her head was back to make Kori wince with discomfort and fall with the elegance of a learning bumgorf in between the deceased bodies. Fatigue was suddenly a warm blanket over her and when she was suddenly shuffled onto Richard's back, she made sure her weapon was secure; her body shut down and lulled to sleep. The only sound was now the patting of Richard's shoes, and she could pretend he was carrying her home safely despite the eerie quiet.

Walking away from the site, an sticking to the shadows, there was no way either would notice a black bird now perch ed on its metal branch, only to disappear in the leaving light of the sun.

* * *

Starfire plunged her trusted staff into the Asian teenager's back, helping Dick push her off with a grunt, bending his body backwards to place his hands on one of the speed bumps and balancing in a handstand before jutting his out into the chests of two opposing children.

Flipping back into a standing position back to back with Starfire while said female struck the temple of a young child and made him black out, banging himself against the hood of a red truck.

Finally they were allowed to advance up the carpet covered stairs after being held up in the small parking lot for a possible hour.

"Where are we now?" Kori whispered, she'd only ever been to Garfield's house a few times despite their friendship, and even then they spent most of their time on the roof.

"Laundry hall." Dick replied, keeping close to the wall as they edged quickly up the stairs.

"And what, may I ask, is next?"

"Well, Gar lives on the fifth floor. We're on the first now. We could press our luck'n try prying the elevator doors open." He looked around the banister; there were only three of them blocking the next flight of stairs. They both sighed.

"Ready?"

"I am prepared."

Together they charged, running pass the infected to make a dash upstairs for the elevator.

_((Yo, a Yo, Yo, a Yo))_

_There is no escaping_

_There's no place to hide_

There were three more waiting on the steps, staring with a dazed look.

_You scream someone save me_

_But they don't pay it no mind ((but they don't pay it no mind))_

_Goodbye._

Then they were surrounded on the stairs, six against two. But what about the other fifteen they could see watching from the other flights of stairs?

_You're walkin down a horror corridor_

_It's almost 4 in the mornin and you're in a_

_Nightmare it's horrible_

_Right there's the coroner_

_Waitin for you to turn the corner so he can corner ya_

_You're a goner, he's on ta ya _

_out the corner of his cornea he saw ya run_

_All you want to do is rest cause you can't run anymore, ya done_

_All he wants is to kill you in front of an audience_

_While everyone is watchin in the party, applauding ya_

Dick swiftly moved to balance of the banister at Starfire's request as she tossed the two bodies down the stairs, the third unconscious with its head forced between the polls. The ebony acrobat then slid down the rail, threw a kick to the last ones throat and flipping back onto Starfire's step.

"Even under such circumstances you are a show off."

_Here I sit while I'm caught up in deep thought again_

_Contemplating my next plot again_

_Swallowing the Calotapin_

_While I'm nodding in an out on the ottoman_

_At the Ramada Inn holding onto the pill bottle then_

_And make sure I got all of it_

_Wake up naked at McDonalds with blood all over_

_Dead bodies behind the counter, shit_

_I guess I must have just blacked out again_

_Not again_

Starfire forced a female infected who had been lying in the corner off with the broom handle in front of Dick.

"Please do take your time Richard'kortain'l"

He grunted and punched the control panel of the elevator just as Starfire forced the body tumbling down the stairs and befalling a sickening crack.

"The damn thing is busted, what great luck."

Pushing Dick aside gently, Starfire placed her in between the doors and pulled them apart with minor strain. Looking up, they could see the elevator was a ways above their head.

"They're coming." Dick growled, watching with a trained eye as the infecteds screeched and thumped down the stairs to get to them.

Hastily, Starfire wrapped her arms around his chest and flew them up the shaft, pausing briefly to shoot a powerful eyebeam through the elevator's floor, which sent three infecteds and one gory body tumbling down with a single startled screech.

_Its 3 a.m. in the mornin put my key in the door'n_

_Bodies layin all over the floor'n_

_I don't remember how they got there but I guess I must've Killed em_

_Killed em [x2]_

Starfire once again pried the elevator doors open after hearing one infected trying to scratch its way in from the roof, probably smelling the small amount of energy from the eyebeam.

_Sitting nude in my living room_

_It's almost noon_

_I wonder what's on the tube, maybe they'll show some boobs_

_Surfin every channel until I find Hannah Montana _

_Then I reach for the aloe and lanolin_

_Bust all over the wall panelin_

_Dismantling every candle on top of the fire place mantle and_

_Grab my flannel and my bandanna then_

The smell of blood was over bearing, making the duo raise the bandannas from around their necks to over their faces. A pair of blue eyes wandered fondly over the irremovable purple blotches on the carpet, granted the memories of how they got there were stained in red and green blood, but still he could tell this was the fourth floor.

Starfire smiled behind her mask, knowing friend Garfield had used his cleverness to his advantage; maybe he was hiding in his parents' makeshift lab at the very moment they were walking up the last flight of stairs to his apartment number.

Caught up in thought, of course they didn't notice the eerie shadow that kept creeping in and out of the emergency exit.

"Hey Star." There was slyness in the voice behind her that could only mean trouble.

"Yes?" the girl replied evenly.

"I think someone is forgetting our deal."

Starfire groaned.

* * *

_Kiss the naked mannequin man again_

_You can see him standing in my front window, if you look in_

_I'm just a hooligan who's used to using hallucinogens_

_Causing illusions again_

_Brain contusions again_

_Cutting and bruising the skin_

_Razors, scissors, and pins_

_Jesus, when does it end?_

He sat huddled in the corner of his room, squeezed into it while his bunk bed occupied the rest of the room, rocking back and forth with an eye gazing through his fingers.

The gun sat haphazardly in front of his foot, the tip of his worn, grey sneakers patting against the handle every once and awhile.

_Phases that I go through_

_Dazed and I'm so confused,_

His breathing was still as shallow as when he'd first gripped the warm steel and fired two shots into the sickeningly intelligent craniums of each snarling, infected parent. Tears had long since his dried against his cheeks and the corners of his mouth, a mouth that only spoke to words.

_Days that I don't know who_

_Gave these molecules to_

_Me, what am I gonna do_

"Mom...Dad...Mom...Dad..."

_Hey, the prodigal son_

* * *

A redheaded Tamaranian girl huffed as the dead weight she called a kortain'l once again shifted on her back.

"Remind me once more, why am I carrying you?" Starfire grunted. Dick grinned and pressed his cheek deeper into the silky pillow of her hair.

"Cause I won the bet."

"The bet, if you wish to call it that, was who could remain with the least amount of wounds. I'd believed it was a tie."

"Don't be a sore loser; you just forgot to read the fine print."

"What you call 'fine print' I call sending rather suggestive images toward our bond when taking breaks."

The boy snickered, "Suggestive images?" Oh, you mean these."

Starfire turned pink, "Dick!"

"Well something like that." He replied with a grin.

_The godfather for one_

_Very methodical when I slaughter them_

_[Chorus x2]_

The sound of footsteps caused his sensitive ears to perk slightly, robotic like motions caused his hand to reach down to the gun once again. He could hear a thumping on his floor, a pained yelp and a growl, then creaking and slow approaching footsteps.

His hands were allowing the gun to rise higher…

_[x2]_

_She puts the lotion in the bucket_

_She puts the lotion on the skin_

_Or else it gets the hose again._

Starfire dropped her kortain'l on the floor once they reached Gar's door without warning, causing a startled yelp to escape his throat and he playfully growled at her stopping when seeing the seriousness of her face while her eyes scanned the hall.

"I thought I saw something." She whispered. Dick nodded and opened Gar's door accompanied with its unsubtle squeak.

Pulling out their weapons, the couple stood on each side of Gar's door. Feeling something was off; Starfire awaited a signal before pushing her shoulder into his locked bedroom.

_I cut and I slash slice and gash_

_Last night was a blast _

_I can't quite remember when I had that_

_Much fun off a half-pint of a Jack_

_My last vic and a half_

_A flashlight up Kim Kardashian's ass _

* * *

_I remember the first time I dismembered a family member_

_December, I think it was_

_I was having drinks with my cous_

_I wrapped him in Christmas lights_

_Pushed him into the stinkin tub_

_Cut him up into pieces and just when I went to drink his blood,_

Giving the green skinned, dead eyed boy room enough to fire the gun relentlessly at whatever had just interrupted his grievance.

_I thought I __oughta__ drink his bath water that __oughta__ be fun_

_That's__ when my days of serial murder manslaughter begun_

_The sight of blood excites me that might be an artery son_

_You're blood curdling screams just don't seem to bother me none_

Starfire ducked down and pushed herself back against the side of the doorway. Dick's eyebrow's knitted in confusion, "They shoot guns now?"

She took a deep breath, using her hands to sign what she wanted them to do, convincing Dick to do it. He slid his back down to the floor and rolled onto his stomach, at the same time they looked, gunshots slung unskillfully past them, providing a five second view.

Back's against the wall once again, Starfire pressed her hands to her mouth in hopes to keep the bile from rising when she recognized the hazelnut brown hair of Garfield's parents, now stained with blood.

Dick grimaced, '_We always wanted them dead…but not like that…'_

'_Poor friend Garfield, to have bared witness to such brutally disfigured corpses.'_

'_He looks pretty dead himself.'_

Starfire swallowed her breath, ignoring the way her legs shook from standing. From her peripheral she could see Dick's raised brow.

'_Starfire?'_

_It's 3 a.m. and here I come so you should probably run_

_A secret passageway around here, man_

_There's gotta be one_

'_Please. I need you to guard the door.'_

'_Star.' _His voice in her head was now wispy and stern. The alien princess gave a short smile in his direction; strands of her hair fell smoothly over her covered shoulder.

'_Please trust me.'_

_Oh no, there's probably none_

_He can scream all that he wants, top of his lungs_

_But ain't no stopping me from chopping him up_

Hesitantly, Dick followed her orders and posted himself at the front door. Trust in _her_ wasn't the problem, trusting whatever little plans she sizzled in that sly mind of hers was what _really_ had his stomach doing flips.

Dick sighed, calmly twirling the knife handle between his fingers, keeping a close eye on Starfire and her 'plan'.

She took deep breaths, collecting energy in her center, letting it pool inside her like a slow burning candle, manifesting it into a hot green bubble that surrounded her lithe being. The orb burned bright, heat rolling off in such waves it made Dick, who was a good few feet away from her, let a slick sheen cover his forehead.

Starfire applied pressure forward on her heels; boots sticking to the dead leave colored carpet slightly before she pushed through Gar's doorway. Three bullets fire and hooked themselves in the emerald sun before melting down.

Garfield in his zombie-like state reloaded his gun, blinking the sweat from his eye was probably the most human thing he'd down since they'd arrived, and started firing endlessly at the orb.

Starfire moved closer to him, recycling her power to increase its energy, causing his unresponsive body to dampen.

"Star!" Dick's voice came out in a strangled cry, making the Tamaranian loose focus briefly with a gasp as she ran out of the room. He was hanging in midair-his right arm grasping the banister decoration, his left trying to get a firm grip on a pink, slippery looking flesh wrapped around his torso, his sneakers slipping along the wooden rail.

"Richa-"

The energy dispersed, and at that moment was when his stray shot decided to set fire upon someone. Starfire fell on her knees, gripping at the bleeding shoulder wound.

"Starfire!"

_It's 3 a.m. in the mornin_

_Put my key in the door'n bodies layin all over the floor'n _

Dick watched her with wide eyes; he needed to get to her but was to far away. Everything was starting to close up the space between them. The monster held him in place with its tongue from his own position on a corner of the ceiling. Dick could feel his grip giving way. But he refrained from letting go so he could keep his gaze on Starfire's blood.

Starfire's blood…he'd never seen her bleed…in color it was a rosy pink…it leaked from the crevices of her fingers in small amounts, and he could see a shadow crawling behind her. Garfield stared wt her back with dead eyes and a gun poised at his belly…

_I don't remember how they got there_

_But I guess I must have killed 'em_

_Killed 'em._

If he didn't do something quick…but this thing was keeping him from her…keeping _him _from _her…no one_ could keep them apart.

He just wouldn't allow it.

Jerking his legs up once more, Dick let go of the banister and for a few moments, he felt like Robin—he felt the excitement of planning something in midair. His arm hooked back, his body twisted, and just as he was jerked toward its screech of what seemed to be an easy victory…

Dick wound his fist straight into its eye socket, his only proof being the sickening squelch before he fell to the steps. Below the creature's eminent cries, Dick let out a low groan as he hoisted his body up and made a steady run back up the steps to his wife.

Garfield was shaking beside her while she rested her body upright against his wall.

"Star…" His voice croaked, tears were escaping his eyes and he gathered her into a hug. Starfire smiled, wincing as some of his tears poured around her wound.

"They're…They were…I thought…"

Dick shooed her hand away, a piece of the bullet was pinching what appeared to be a vein, which explained why there was so much blood. When Starfire needed rare doctoral visits she went to Raven, he'd never seen the inner anatomy of a Tamaranian girl. But with so much happening though, they couldn't afford an open wound.

Wiping the crusty white salve off his hands onto the carpet, Dick wrapped the bandanna around his finger tips an pulled at the bullet, noting she didn't seem to notice with all her attention focused on the simpering green boy, finally tightening it. Starfire smiled gratefully, placing a kiss in Garfield's green hair.

A sudden yelp startled the boys' as Starfire lit a bolt in her palm and struck the passerby demon watching them at the door, blasting it down with the railing. She bit her tongue; in quick thinking she'd used her injured arm.

The boys' helped Starfire to her, Garfield gathered the remaining ammo and gun.

"Beastboy," her happiness made her use his nickname, if not for the throbbing in her arm Starfire would've been floating, "please, why do you have such a weapon?"

Garfield swallowed thickly, the warm brown steel seemed to pulsate with joy in his hand, "I…I'm sorry Star, so sorry I-"

She pressed a thumb to his lips, "I do not believe my question was tailored to an apology. Therefore, my question and your answer do not match."

He smiled, "M-my parents…were experimenting on me again..." he paused briefly at seeing the way Dick tensed his body, "I can change into a lemur now…I-its pretty cool."

"Why'd you have a gun, Logan?"

Dick's voice came out gruff, hardly as a question, and his eyes were almost steel-like, that familiar 'no-nonsense' look he sometimes wore around Bruce.

"I was having too much fun in that form…you know my parents have to keep me calm or else everyone'll find…someone _would've _found out what they do…_did_ too me."

Garfield pocketed the gun in his cargo pants and a sudden though crossed him, "Where are Rae and Vic?"

"We…have yet to contact them."

"Phone?"

"Everything's shut down. We've been living of the generators people were asked to buy they only have so much power."

"What if Star charged it?"

"My powers even at their most miniscule would explode earthen technology."

"Besides, it's much too dangerous for Starfire to use a lot of energy right now. These things seem attracted to it."

Kori noticed the distress in Garfield's body, "Freight not Beastboy. Now that we know you are safe, it gives us hope for the others, they are surely fighting valiantly."

The two smiled at her growing optimism, hiking her body upward.

"You're right Star."

She grinned at Dick, making sure her weapon was secure before they proceeded out of the apartment. One friend down, two to go.

* * *

So? Critisism terrifies, but is greatly appreciated by me at the same time. Tell if they're are any mispelled words, or parts where you couldn't get a clear picture of what I was trying to type. Also, I'm trying to make this a gory experience (because i'm crazy ofcourse) so tell me if you could imagine _those_ parts good or not.

Those reading **Sex & Rivalry**, i'll say this is what kept me from that ^^''.

_Swallowin' Raindrops, now in Technicolor._


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